Holder for clothing and like



May 24, 1960 J. w. TABB 2,937,758

HOLDER FOR CLOTHING AND LIKE Filed Aug. 10, 1956 INVENTOR.

BY TF 2 W ATT NE) United States. Patent HOLDER FOR CLOTHING AND LIKE.James w. Tabb, 1201 s. Main St., Findlay, Ohio Filed Aug. 10, 1956, Ser.No. 603,315 1 Claim. 01. 211-1 My invention concerns the holding,storage or display of clothing and household items, such as towels,washclothes, magazines, paper bags, etc. Particularly, my inventionrelates to means for holding items,-which means may supplement thefurniture provisions for holding such items, such.as bureaus, racks,'chitfoniers and costumers, and the building provisions, such asclosets, clothes presses, shelving and the like.

. Essentially, when used for clothing, my invention deals with a holderof small clothes, such as stockings, undergarments, and the like, asdistinct from the heavy garments, such as suits, dresses, sweaters andcoats. Even more particularly, my invention proposes a holder forclothing whose nature'and use particularly require the user to possessduplicate or near-duplicates and desirably to expose such clothing, whenpossible, to air and light.

;My invention has for its main object to provide a clothing holder ofthis kind at low cost,-of exceedingly simple construction and unusuallyeffecient holding capacity.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide such a holderhaving a panelwith jopposite faces, each face being of some area, thepanel also having a plurality of spaced holes extending through thepanel between said opposite faces thereof and being supported with itsfaces in vertical extending positions by a supporting means. Such holderpanel also has a plurality of holding clip-s, each clip having a pair ofbowed resilient legs integral with and depending from a bowed resilientcrotch extending through one of each of said panel holes. Thus, one legof each clip will be located on one side of the panel and facing thepanel face on such side and the other clip leg will be on the other sideof the panel facing the other panel face and be positioned for receivingand yieldably engaging an item placed between a panel face and each leg.In this position, clothes may be separately supported and displayed forselection, airing and storage. The panel supporting means mentioned mayinclude a hook or a floor engaging base and thus the panel may be placedat any desired place.

Another more particular object of my invention is to provide thedescribed clip legs with outwardly curved end feet which, when theclothes are moved over the panel face, preparatory to being engaged bythe clip leg, will slidingly engage the clothes gradually compressingthem and smoothly lifting the leg against the bias which urges it towardthe panel face until the clothes reach a position to be clamped againstthe panel face by the clip leg.

Other and further objects of my invention are to provide usefularrangements appearing in the following description and shown in theaccompanying drawing. I have selected preferred and modified forms whichembody my invention and will describe them hereinafter, the preferredform appearing presently to be the best mode of carrying out myinvention. To aid in such description I shall refer to the accompanyingdrawing. I do not mean, by such reference, however, that my invention isconsidered by me to be limited to the exact forms shown in suchdrawings.

2,937,758 Patented May 5 H V 2 V Figure 1 of the accompanying drawingsillustrates a perspective view of the preferred form of clothes holderembodying my inventio Figure 2 is an end view of the form shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a view of a section taken along the plane of the line 3-3indicated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a modified form of clothesholder also embodying my invention.

A clothes holder embodying my invention has a panel; a panel supportingmeans and a plurality of clothes engaging clips.

Hence, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing, the preferredform of clothes holder has a panel 10. The panel 10 has a pair ofpreferably flat opposite faces 11 and 12 of some area joined at theirperimeters by a panel edge 14. The faces 11 and 12 are preferablyfinished smoothly and if the panel 10 be wood, be provided'withhigh-gloss coating, such.as that obtained by applying varnish orenamel thereto. Of course, some woods finish so smooth, no finish willbe needed. The panel 10 shown is rectangular in outline but may beelliptical or of an otherwise curved outline.

To support the panel 10 I provide means such as th hook 15 which extendsinto the edge. 14 and is adaptedto engage a strut or clothes bar or anysuitable fixed element of suflicient strength to support the panel. Itis in the provision of the panel supporting means that the modified formshown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawing has one of its principaldifferences. The

panel of the modified form shown in Figure 4 is of an elongatedplank-like outline. To support such panel 110, Iv propose means embodiedin the stand 115. The stand 115. has a base 116 adapted to rest upon asupporting surface,.such as a floor. On an upper surface 117 of the base1'16,'a plurality of braces'118 are aflixed. The braces 118 are sospacially disposed relative to each other that between them they formapanel receiving socket 119 into which a lower end 120 of the panel 110may be received 7 to support the panel 110 in vertically uprightposition. Preferably, the braces 118 comprise spiral resilient members,as shown in the drawing, fastened at one end to the base 116 andextending in coiled resiliency towards each other and engaging the end120 of panel 110.

To provide means for engaging the clothes to be held on the clothesholder whether in the preferred form shown in Figure l or in themodified form shown in Figure 4, I provide a plurality of engaging clipson the panel of the holder.

Hence, in the form of structure shown in Figure l, I provide a pluralityof clips 25. Each clip 25 has a pair of resilient bowed legs 26 and 27which depend from and are interjoined by a resilient bowed crotch 28.The bow of the legs 26 and 27 are in the manner of paired parentheticalmarks, first outwardly away from the crotch 28 and each other and theninwardly towards each other. Preferably, each clip 25 is made fromsuitably tempered strip steel which may be enameled or otherwisetastefully finished.

The modified form shown in Figure 4 has clips which in all respects arelike the clips 25 I have just described. The clips 125 have oppositelegs 126 and 127 depending from a crotch 128.

To mount the clips 25 on the panel 10 and to enable utilization of bothclip legs 26 and 27 and both panel faces 11 and 12 in the support ofsmall clothes, the panel 10 has a plurality of spaced holes 30 whichextend through the panel from one face 11 to the other face 12. Eachclip 25 extends through a hole 30 with its crotch 28 extending generallyaxially or parallel thereto through the hole 30. This disposes the leg26 of each clip in a depending relation to the crotch 28 on one side ofleg 27 of each clip will depend from the crotch 28 on the other side ofthe panel and in facing relation to the panel face 12. By thisdisposition, both legs 26 and 27 are in operating position to clamp uponsuch clothes as are placed in the space between thein'and the panel facethey face.

By mounting the clips in the described mannenthat is, with the crotch 28extending through one .of the panel holes 30 and being freely movable,both axial-wise of the hole 30 and rotatively with respect thereto, .the.clips are free to adjust themselves automatically to the bulkiness ofthe bundle which they may be called upon to hold. For example, if thefolded clothes that are to .be held on one side of the panel 10 arebulky, the freedom .of the clip crotch 28 within the hole 30 allows aportion of the clip 25 to be drawn to that side of the panel 10so thatthe clip leg 26 or 27, as the case maybe, may encompass the bundle. Onremoval of the bundle, however, the clip 25 automatically returns to itsoriginal relation.

By having the clips 25 free to move rotatively with respect to the panelholes 30 adjoining clips may be swung towards each other to cooperate inthe support .of items as well as other useful advantages obtained.

The modified form shown in Figure 4 also has holes 130 to likeadvantage. However, the holes 130 are arranged in a vertical extendingrow along the panel 110 whereas the holes 30 on the panel 10 are in aplurality of horizontally extending rows.

If desired and preferably so, each leg of the clips has an outwardlyextending end foot. Legs 26 and 27 have end feet 35 and legs 126 and 127have end feet 135. The feet curve reversely away from the leg to whichthey append. The feet 35 and 135 provide, in their surfaces 36 and 136which curvedly converge towards the panel faces, a cam-like bearingsurface tending to facilitate the entry of the clothes between the legsand panel face, as the clothes are being slid upwardly and over thepanel face toward engagement with the legs. This enables the user tosingle-handedly place clothes on the holder.

Auxiliary holding equipment, such as a belt hook 37 and tie bars 38 mayalso be mounted on the panel 10. Thus, my invention provides aninexpensive, simple but highly efficient silent valet or clothes holderof acceptable appearance and composition.

I claim:

In a holder for clothing, garments, and the like, a wood panel boardhaving fiat opposite plane surfaces, means in engagement with the edgeof the panel board and adapted to support-said board with its oppositeplane surfaces in vertically extending planes in space and easyaccessibility; a plurality of clips; each clip having a pair ofoppositely bowed and mutually facing resilient legs and a bowedresilient crotch portion integral with and between the said legs to forma U-shaped body; each leg end being outwardly extending to form an endfoot; each clip being formed of flat strip metal; the panel board havinga plurality of spaced circular holes of diameters exceeding the width ofthe flat strip clip metal whereby each clip may extend through one panelboard hole to locate the clip crotch portion thereof within the hole andfor free movement, bothaxial wise and rotative-wise, in, through andaround the hole and each clip leg on one of the opposite sides of thepanel board and in a facing relation to the panel board face on saidside for receiving and yieldably engaging to thereby support clothing,garments or the like placed between the leg and the panel faced thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS562,276 Boyd -Q June 16, 1896 689,439 Trott Dec. 24, 1901 1,754,940Freeman Apr. 15, 1930 2,150,497 Frenberg Mar. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS735,979 Great Britain Aug. '31, 1955

